tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27853899931888543862024-03-05T04:36:34.659-08:00Nut InkMini reviews of texts old and new. No fuss. No spoilers. Occasional happy crocs.Impudent Urinalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02168428923939864093noreply@blogger.comBlogger319125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-52802495715127014692017-11-26T17:44:00.001-08:002019-10-10T03:53:50.606-07:00Worlds of Power: Castlevania II — Simon's Quest (1990)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Authors: Christopher Howell and F.X. Nine | Page Count: 138</div>
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<i>"I was not born a hero, Timothy Bradley, but I have faced my fears.</i></div>
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<i>He who confronts his deepest dreads everyday… that person is a hero."</i></div>
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F.X. Nine is the pen-name of Seth Godin, an entrepreneur, as such. It seems he sketched the basic plots, players, and game-related specifics of this series. In this entry, Christopher Howell is the one who brought it all to life. As the dialogue is what overwhelmingly sells this for me, as opposed to the adapted aspects, my praises will naturally fall primarily upon Mr. Howell. It should also be noted that Nintendo did not ultimately endorse this endeavor.<br />
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To specifically address the nature of this as an adaptation of an NES game, I must immediately relate that it does not strictly follow the events of <a href="http://deadercuckoo6.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/castlevania-ii-simons-quest-1988.html" target="_blank">the game</a>. I’ll pull a percentage out of my posterior and say it’s about 40% accurate, I guess? A sincere attempt is made to respect the geography and layout, but significant changes are definitely afoot.<br />
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The most far-reaching change is that Simon Belmont is not traveling alone in this iteration of the tale. He plucks a middle-schooler from earth to accompany him on his quest to rid himself of Dracula’s curse. Funny how that’s actually the name of the third game, even though it’s a significant part of the second. Simon and Timothy Bradley are a classic odd couple. Simon is stoic and severe; Tim deals in puns, bad jokes, and bad habits.<br />
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If you’ve ever wondered what it’d be like if there was an episode of <a href="https://deadercuckoo3.blogspot.com/2019/05/zyuden-sentai-kyoryuger-2013.html" target="_blank">Kyoryuger</a> where Nobu and Tessai worked together, this is the book for you.<br />
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There are a few typos. I believe I counted four, but they honestly aren’t problematic. There are hint boxes, referring to the game, presented at the end of some of the chapters. They don’t always paint a full-enough picture (you have to break through the floor to find both the laurel <u>and</u> garlic salesmen in Aljiba), but everything actually stated in them is accurate. Oddly enough, one of them uses the alternate romanization for Rover Mansion (Lauber), when Rover is used in the main text.<br />
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Oh, and get this: Howell actually explains why the townsfolk are cryptic and deceptive!<br />
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In one instance, an item is established as being necessary, only to have another used when the requisite situation occurs. Also, two of Dracula’s parts were changed. None of the above are huge deals, for a few reasons: 1.) The bits referring to the game—the hint boxes—are correct, as stated. 2.) The item switcheroo can actually be interpreted as the set-up for something much later in the text. 3.) One of Dracula’s pieces in the game wasn’t even part of his body! 4.) The specifics of the lore and mechanics aren’t the actual focus, here. Emphasis is placed, instead, on the characters. Specifically Tim, of course. Through his eyes, we’re exposed to ridiculously clever metaphors, similes, and descriptions of the world of Castlevania. There’s also a great wealth of wonderful statements about life itself.<br />
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What’s on display here is so effective that I’m willing to overlook one of my biggest pet peeves in fiction: event skips. As a kid, I even wrote Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman asking about the excised quest for the Hammer of Kharas between the end of <i>Dragons of Autumn Twilight</i> and the beginning of <i>...Winter Night</i>. Hmm, looks like they did end up writing a book about it. Too bad I don’t care, anymore~<br />
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Here, I think it was to preserve the surprise of some of the puzzles, but the journey through Berkeley Mansion definitely whet my appetite for five more helpings of urban exploration that were in no way delivered upon.<br />
<br />
If you end up purchasing and enjoying this, please, please consider watching <a href="https://deadercuckoo3.blogspot.com/2015/06/engine-sentai-go-onger-2008-09.html" target="_blank">Engine Sentai Go-Onger</a> and <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.com/2015/05/engine-sentai-go-onger-bunbun-banban.html" target="_blank">its dedicated movie</a>. You will find much the same sentiments, therein. You will find that Sentai deftly balances humor and meaningfulness in exactly the same manner as this book. The excerpt read during Awesome Games Done Quick a few years ago is NOT representative of the entire experience. This is a book very much worth reading, especially for children. It’s the perfect mix of heartfelt inspiration, goofiness, and the quaintly macabre.<br />
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Son, You are 4 Too Young To Be Telling Old Man Jokes out of 5<br />
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Nutted by <b>NEG</b>.<br />
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STShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531564477785912503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-36694376651782123992017-10-23T16:21:00.001-07:002017-10-23T16:21:20.184-07:00Official Final Fantasy VII Strategy Guide (1997)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Author: David Cassady | Page Count: 223<br />
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<i>"Thanks to everyone for trying their hardest</i><br />
<i>to make this the best book possible."</i></div>
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Umm....</div>
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I purchased this guide the same day my dad spontaneously decided that it was time for us to get a Playstation. He was going to buy one over Christmas, but he <i>really</i> wanted to play Nascar 98 with his friends (I know, I know). Ergo, we had an impromptu spending spree. It’s a memory I will always cherish. I still have the games, this guide, and Smash Mouth’s <a href="https://deadercuckoo5.blogspot.com/2014/03/smash-mouth-fush-yu-mang-1997.html" target="_blank"><i>Fush Yu Mang</i></a>. Let’s see how this holds up.<br />
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Like <a href="https://deadercuckoo6.blogspot.com/2013/02/final-fantasy-vii-1997.html" target="_blank">the game itself</a>, there are a number of typos. Unfortunately, this bleeds into the very way the guide is structured. They set out to label the entrances and exits of each game-screen with numbers. Except, sometimes, they forgot to include the exit number from the previous picture on the next picture, as an entrance number. Further, based on the sidebars, they initially intended to label items with letters. However, in the text, they refer to event locations and NPCs by letters, as well. Eventually, they start referring to significant buildings that way, too. In one instance, there are similar pictures of the same screen, and the second one, on the next set of pages, is labeled, but not the one that exists beside the relevant text. Some things referred to in the text by a letter seemingly correspond to screen-shots that were not ultimately included.<br />
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At one point, the use of letters to denote shops, treasure chests, NPCs, and entrances(!) AT THE SAME TIME results in a gigantic confusing mess. There are ‘A’s as far as the eye can see on those pages, in addition to the usual numbers!<br />
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The ways they managed to screw up the labels in this book are a little bit awe-inspiring.<br />
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The explanation of one puzzle in particular is almost perfectly made more confusing by one word utilized therein. It's so acutely wrong that it seems intentional. The Chocobo raising guide is a nice starting point for understanding how to create the special types, but if you want detailed specifics (I.e., you have better things to do with your life than endlessly experiment with breeding birds), go find a dedicated FAQ. The lists in the back of the book were compiled by someone other than Cassady. One thing that he stopped short of spoiling in the text, is spoiled in a list. Communication, guys. Communication.</div>
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Nice pieces of official artwork <i>are</i> used, but outside of the stock character art, they are universally desaturated, lowered in contrast, and exist only as backgrounds that are barely visible. Why bother? A piece of Vincent is used for every set of pages covering the Side Quests. Consequently, the top of every left-oriented page has black text on a black portion of the background. It’s barely legible. There are errors in the bestiary entries, and some are entirely blank of data. Some enemies present in certain areas are not listed beside those sections of the text, only in the dedicated appendix. I suppose they included only as many as they had space for on the cramped pages. In several places, they include a gaggle of FMV caps when they could have used that space for appropriately rendered artwork.</div>
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I don’t know why enemy skills are not prioritized in these guides. Yes, most are gimmicky and you’ll never use them, but a few are always virtually essential. I like how they’re mentioned after-the-fact, here, when they’ll be useful, not when you can actually learn them. That's sarcasm, folks. Some of them are entirely missable.<br />
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If you’re willing to ignore the screenshots and just read the text, you will be MOSTLY fine, but you shouldn’t have to. They are a crucial part of an endeavor such as this. In a world of FAQs, the pictures and artwork are the only selling point of these guides, for most consumers. An author’s approach, their humor and elaboration, can also bring purpose and life to them, but this one is written in the most basic way possible. It fails to have any significant, lasting purpose.<br />
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Everyone at Brady Games should have tried harder. Unlike <a href="https://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.com/2017/07/final-fantasy-iii-players-guide-1995_30.html" target="_blank">Olafson</a>, who mostly only suffered from the lack of information inherent to being a Westerner, writing in the year <a href="https://deadercuckoo6.blogspot.com/2013/04/final-fantasy-vi-iii-1994.html" target="_blank">VI</a> was released, Brady Games failed to properly visually lay out the (mostly correct) information (and artwork) they actually had at their disposal. The blame falls squarely on their heads.</div>
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If you want a comprehensive FAQ that has wit and verve, I recommend Absolute Steve's.</div>
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½-Assed, At Best out of 5<br />
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Nutted by <b>NEG</b>.</div>
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</style>STShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531564477785912503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-39191822438151441672017-07-30T05:18:00.000-07:002019-10-10T03:54:20.415-07:00Final Fantasy III Players Guide (1995)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7F-EsLXsLDxTg56ZQ1EHVrUYRMpsLoNVMVa7MAMKkpebtzxwrqzWmZmgk1dWwo27XapZJHx0Sjt_Tl39SQpLTWYoFVPn5hGjYsHZ7C8LXvddifjd2gAU0C7MPsY2MZQH71enGHNMozeM2/s1600/OlafsonCover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="550" data-original-width="423" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7F-EsLXsLDxTg56ZQ1EHVrUYRMpsLoNVMVa7MAMKkpebtzxwrqzWmZmgk1dWwo27XapZJHx0Sjt_Tl39SQpLTWYoFVPn5hGjYsHZ7C8LXvddifjd2gAU0C7MPsY2MZQH71enGHNMozeM2/s400/OlafsonCover.png" width="307" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Peter Olafson | <b>Page Count</b>: 164</div>
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<i><i>“They’re a good bunch of people, in a real story, full of twists and turns, and you can put your heart into them. Many of them have something in their past that’s holding them back, and you’ll have to help them come to grips with their inner demons.”</i></i><br />
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In the days before Squeenix was hiding things behind otherwise unremarkable <a href="http://deadercuckoo6.blogspot.com/2013/03/dirge-of-cerberus-2006.html" target="_blank">endless walls of textures</a>, and denying you an ultimate weapon for doing something as natural as opening chests at the beginning of <a href="http://deadercuckoo6.blogspot.com/2016/07/final-fantasy-xii-2006.html" target="_blank">a game</a>, Square Soft was in the business of providing players with far more innocent secrets. The type that you could actually stumble onto yourself, if you were thorough enough in your explorations. Back then, your parents may have bought you a strategy guide out of the kindness of their hearts, because they saw them on the rack, not because they were harangued by an employee who counterintuitively wants to remain in the employ of a vampiric and entirely disreputable mega-chain.<br />
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Times heartbreakingly change.<br />
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My original copy of this went missing, sadly, and I will wholeheartedly admit that this is an endeavor of nostalgia. However, as a matter of personal principle, I do not allow things to remain solely in its softening and heralding glow. I’m here to be (as) completely objective (as a human can be) about its advice, given my twenty plus years of experience with <a href="http://deadercuckoo6.blogspot.com/2013/04/final-fantasy-vi-iii-1994.html" target="_blank">the game</a>. There is no disrespect intended to Mr. Olafson, regardless of the outcome, not the least of which is because of a passage of the introduction that has stuck with me all this time, completely in the absence of the book itself:<br />
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<i><i>“Finally, if possible, hook your machine up to stereo speakers and a nice big TV. The music is superb, and the graphics shine whether you’re looking at something as simple as a section of wall, or whipping across the landscape in Super NES’s special ‘Mode 7.’”</i></i><br />
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Even the walls in FF VI are works of art, and he acknowledges that, the same as I do, to this very day. Graphics and filmmaking, and honestly anything created by mankind, are all a product of the realities of the world and the technology available at the time that they were birthed. Yes, sometimes we’re able to eventually do some things ‘better,’ but the age of a piece of media shouldn’t be held against it, as a matter of course. There are people out there who disregard things because of such <i>circumstances</i> and I pity them. I won’t say ‘<i>limitations</i>,’ because in some cases they are actually strengths. Technological Zeitgeist can be very powerful and I unquestionably believe it to be in regards to FF VI. Sprites are beautiful and these are the best I’ve seen.<br />
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Unlike with <a href="http://deadercuckoo6.blogspot.com/2015/03/chrono-trigger-1995.html" target="_blank">Chrono Trigger</a>, where I adore the sprites, but cannot stomach the original Dragon Ball Z-esque artwork, I do in fact like Yoshitaka Amano’s foundational character artwork for VI. It is deliberately peppered throughout this book, to my utter joy. It is joined by a number of boundary-less charts detailing things such as the Magicite available in the game and the characters’ unique skills. However, there are some rather grave omissions on that particular front, and a few others. Olafson fails to list the majority of Strago’s Lores, or what monsters he can learn them from. Only a small few are mentioned in passing, which is unfortunate because many require special techniques to even be elicited at all. He does not touch on the Dances that Mog can miss out on permanently. I cannot hold the lack of coverage on Gau’s Rages against him, however, as the list is extensive and intensely daunting, which in turns makes it unlikely that he, or any casual fan, would know that it’s actually not completable at all, without a cheat device. Especially as a Westerner in <b>1994-95</b>!!!<br />
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He also somewhat inaccurately describes the mechanics for maximizing one’s score in one specific mini-game and neglects the specifics of a boss with an unorthodox gimmick. I suppose he simply got lucky on all of his playthroughs? He seemingly missed seeing three essential flashbacks on all of those runs, as well.<br />
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I realize that the immediately preceding paragraphs are very punitive in nature. However, outside of the final bullet-point, Olafson repeatedly demonstrates that he possesses not only a chronic sense of humor about the proceedings, but also a deep abiding reverence for the STORY. One that I have always shared. Even though he does not deliver a few important pieces of information, he will not lead a player astray in terms of the timeless and shining narrative. In fact, he basically retells it, here, and when I read this straight through, I felt the same emotional stings as I do when playing the game. He conveys so eloquently that he understands the <i>value</i> of it. He kids about it because he loves it, the same as I do.<br />
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I had completely forgotten that he outright states to the Western audience that this is actually FF VI, and not really III. I clearly forgot early on, as I was befuddled when <a href="https://deadercuckoo6.blogspot.com/2013/02/final-fantasy-vii-1997.html" target="_blank">VII</a> was released, like many others were. He was ahead of the curve in many regards, including his passion. And, in this day and age, that’s really the only reason to buy this: if you want something that accurately embodies your feelings about the game. To know that you’re not alone, much the same as what is conveyed by the game itself.<br />
<br />
3 Startlingly On-Point Beatles References out of 5<br />
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Nutted by <b>NEG</b>.</div>
STShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531564477785912503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-44726442753803942122017-03-07T22:51:00.001-08:002017-06-08T18:42:44.987-07:00Tomie: Deluxe Edition (2016)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Author</b>: Junji Ito | <b>Illustrator</b>: Junji Ito | <b>Page Count</b>: 745</div>
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<i>'Her only real interest is herself. She wants to be desired. To see how far she can lead men. It's not that she wants their love. Just a boost to her ego. That's all she cares about. Men, of course, will take it all wrong and fall for her. Strange thing is, when a man falls too far, too hard, he wants to cut her to pieces.'</i></div>
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In the horror world the true icons are the ones who contain that indefinable mystique, that allure which ensnares your attention and draws out your fears. Tomie Kawakami is one such icon. Her outside complexion may be her greatest killer quality. She's the it girl with the highest standards who's on every man's mind. To even set eyes upon her is a death sentence. Tomie doesn't simply inspire great adulation in her suitors, but awakens a sickening and jealous bloodlust which endangers not only others but Tomie herself. They love her to pieces, literally. </div>
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Junji Ito truly created the perfect monster in Tomie. She's that seemingly immortal sci-fi creature who keeps coming back to life. She's that beautiful, out-of-reach sex symbol. You want her so bad you'll kill your friends to be with her. Unfortunately, you'll kill her too...again and again. </div>
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Included are the 20 Tomie manga stories (originally three volumes) into one hardcover. The book's aesthetic follows Viz Media's previous releases of <a href="https://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.com/2014/04/uzumaki-3-in-1-deluxe-edition-2013.html">Uzumaki</a> & <a href="https://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.com/2015/10/gyo-2-in-1-deluxe-edition-2015.html">Gyo</a> with cover and interior art sprinkled throughout the opening and closing pages. </div>
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Tomie was the first manga Junji Ito ever produced. In terms of artwork, he is still honing his craft in the first few stories. He makes good use of POV and obviously grasps the importance of creatively utilizing B&W, but some movement is awkward and there is a lack of refinement in the lines. By the fourth story Ito is near the top of his game. </div>
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The first third of the collection encompasses one Tomie tale. Each chapter has its own plot and some are direct continuations but certain subsequent stories are linked only by either a location or a significant supporting character. It starts with "Tomie" and ends in chapter six with the fantastic yet bizarre climax "Mansion." After that the most important chapter is "Waterfall Basin", which helps disperse the seeds of Tomie into the world as the stories become more sporadic, stand-alone and in my opinion, lesser. Strength lies in a grand storyline as in Ito's successful epics Uzumaki and Gyo. The concepts for many of the remaining chapters are still strong, but a number of them have abrupt and perplexing endings which lead nowhere. Not every single detail must be explained for a satisfying conclusion, but certain ideas are incomplete at best.</div>
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That being said, Viz Media's Tomie: Deluxe Edition is a horror manga fan's dream come true and belongs in every Junji Ito follower's collection. It satisfies a number of different genres including science fiction, horror and guro. Ito's mastery of shock is ever evident in his use of burst climaxes throughout Tomie. The sense of dread and excitement is there as you turn each beautifully drawn page.</div>
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3½ beauty marks below the left eye out of 5</div>
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Borderlinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10685145803723534692noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-3374807697809717132017-02-02T01:32:00.002-08:002017-04-26T22:56:56.532-07:00The Age of Spiritual Machines: When Computers Exceed Human Intelligence (1999)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Author</b>: Ray Kurzweil | <b>Page Count</b>: 400</div>
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"<i>I THOUGHT YOU WERE AN OPTIMIST?</i>"</div>
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"<i>I have been accused of that...</i>"</div>
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This text is a complicated and multi-layered mountain to climb. The question is of course whether or not it’s worth it. That depends at least somewhat on you, as a reader and a human being. The gigantic prism-hued elephant in the room is that this is a book built upon a foundation of predictions of the future as viewed from the late 90s. If you are a person who understands and does not lie to yourself about the world as it currently stands (read: teeters on the brink) in this second decade of the twenty-first century, you will find yourself laughing at Kurzweil’s VERY rose-tinted reading of the then-future. These predictions are wondrous to ponder, but the simple truth is that we won’t see them come to pass given how incapable we are at overcoming our petty and bellicose nature, as a species.<br />
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Is there value in reading it as (partly) a work of fiction, though? I would argue yes, if you’re able to set the narrative and speculative parts into the proper context. I say ‘partly,’ because roughly half of this text is comprised of facts, figures, real-world technological timelines, and treatises on certain aspects of quantum physics. Get ready to have a finger planted in the Notes appendix at all times. And, those notes can get to be quite lengthy. Are you up for reading what equates to a college (or graduate-level) textbook? That’s what you can look forward to for a significant portion of this venture.<br />
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I realize I’m being excessively negative and dismissive (Hello, my name IS Neg, if you weren’t already aware.), but being the person I am, and in order to be honest with anyone who would potentially be reading this, it is nothing more than a necessity born of truth. Again, if you can make yourself read the speculative portions of this as a piece of fiction, then I do believe there is merit in making the large amount of time it will take to digest this work. These works. Plural. This is because of the dual nature of the book itself and the concept album that was created as a result: Our Lady Peace’s <i><a href="https://deadercuckoo5.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/our-lady-peace-spiritual-machines-2000.html" target="_blank">Spiritual Machines</a></i>.<br />
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As a consumer of media, whether you realize it or not, you are fishing for hope, both real and entirely fictional. The beautiful thing is that the verity of a piece of media matters little to those of us who rest our mental (and for some, spiritual) well-being upon them. Not just hope, but strength, resolve, comfort, stimulation, and countless other things essential to the human experience can all be legitimately garnered from works that derive entirely from the minds of humanity itself. Raine Maida did a spectacular job of examining some of the very human concerns springing from the technological trends discussed herein. Albeit (at least partially) from the other end of the telescope.<br />
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Indeed, while many of the basic quantum and computational concepts discussed have stuck with me, what has haunted me the most, ever since I first read this, are the philosophical ramifications that Kurzweil subtly mentions in passing by having the reader character he creates simply dismiss outright. This is clearly 1.) intentional, 2.) accurate for her arc, and 3.) presented such that they’re meant to ceaselessly be splinters in your mind, even if most of what is predicted is never able to come to pass.<br />
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To Kurzweil’s credit, perhaps he teased that aspect of it because he knew he wasn’t personally capable of fully going down that side of the path on his own. I think it really works because of that, with the value being found in the intersection of his expertise, Raine’s pathos, and the reader/listener’s willingness to engage with what’s poking out of the shadows found there.<br />
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I also like it for how it consistently gives me pause. I like that it ultimately scares me in subtle ways <a href="https://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/the-matrix-collection.html" target="_blank">the Matrix trilogy</a> simply doesn’t, no matter how hard it tries.<br />
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4 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwjfRSUme3U" target="_blank">Virtual Mollies For Every Man</a> (and Woman) out of 5<br />
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Nutted by <b>NEG</b>STShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531564477785912503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-64619370079620612552016-02-21T06:22:00.002-08:002022-08-17T08:19:08.237-07:00Chapterhouse: Dune (1985)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCA1vrnsxU8IbQrjiWEXN-VuRXGfFbeNcP7l3ypwhyphenhyphen3TvsaXQQWfSVBEraIigapdaLVWmahA2gs61W1d8rwO1ZwP-4tiq7NHW4epBW7h5ZYKukND4NjtV6gsD2G3IVY_3rD4afz6pIFYo/s1600/Dune_Book_6_Nut_Ink_blogspot.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCA1vrnsxU8IbQrjiWEXN-VuRXGfFbeNcP7l3ypwhyphenhyphen3TvsaXQQWfSVBEraIigapdaLVWmahA2gs61W1d8rwO1ZwP-4tiq7NHW4epBW7h5ZYKukND4NjtV6gsD2G3IVY_3rD4afz6pIFYo/s400/Dune_Book_6_Nut_Ink_blogspot.png" width="251" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Frank Herbert | <b>Page Count</b>: 476</div>
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'Some never participate. Life happens to them. They get by on little more than dumb persistence and resist with anger or violence all things that might lift them out of resentment-filled illusions of security.'</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">-</span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Alma Mavis Taraza</span></span></div>
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The last of the original <b>Dune</b> books wasn't planned to be the last. <b>Frank</b> had hoped to finish the second trilogy (Books <b>V</b> + <b>VI</b> + VII) but sadly he died before it could be written, less than one year after the publication of <b>Chapterhouse</b>. For the reader that means some things are left unresolved at the end of the book. The new directions hinted at don't come to pass as <b>Frank</b> would have directed them.<span style="color: red;">*</span><br />
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Does that mean you shouldn't bother to read it? That's entirely up to you, but if you've read <b>Book V</b>: <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/heretics-of-dune-1984.html" target="_blank">Heretics of Dune (1984)</a>, then I feel it would be folly to stop thereafter, because Book <b>VI</b> is an improvement upon its predecessor, bringing the quality back up to a level almost equal that of the first trilogy (<a href="https://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.com/2015/03/dune-1965.html">I</a> + <a href="https://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.com/2015/04/dune-messiah-1969.html">II</a> + <a href="https://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.com/2015/05/children-of-dune-1976.html">III</a>).<br />
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In <b>Chapterhouse: Dune</b> the Honoured Matres of the Scattering are hunting and killing the Bene Gesserit. The Sisterhood is large and spread across many planets but the Honoured Matres are erasing them from the universe on a mass scale.<br />
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To ensure the survival of both their Order and homeworld they have the option of setting something in motion that'll change everything, from the very small to the very large, like an interdependent ecology. The book explores the decision making process, among other more personal decisions, some of which are calculable to a certain degree but still dangerous.<br />
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The women have a small number of human subjects in their care, under deep scrutiny. Likewise, thanks to <b>Frank</b>'s reveals, we're able to watch the watchers in the same manner. The Bene Gesserit view of themselves reveals much about the truth of themselves to an observer. The reader is also gifted a deeper insight into what the Spice Agony is and how it affects anyone brave enough to undergo the trial. (Like the aphorism says, change is the only constant.)<br />
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I was left wondering if, like in previous books, some of the passages/testimonials that introduce each chapter (in a sense presented as histories acting as a kind of prescient commentary when placed out of their original time) were from someone who would go on to play a key role in the next book; and if so, would their actions change how I view the things they said in this one.<br />
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4½ specialised complexities out of 5<br />
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<span style="color: red;">*</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Brian Herbert</b> (<b>Frank</b>'s son) and Kevin J Anderson took up the mantle and attempted to write Dune VII, but rather than one book they did a <b>Peter Jackson</b> and split it into multiple parts (well, two). The books are called <b>Hunters of Dune</b> (2006) and <b>Sandworms of Dune</b> (2007). I've not read either of them because I read two-thirds of their <b>Prelude to Dune</b> Trilogy and found them to be a mere shadow of what <b>Frank</b> achieved, padded out with filler and lacking the multitudinous layers of what Dune should be. If I ever do give their <b>Dune VII</b> a try, I'll link to them.</span>Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-29779210483847524372016-02-17T06:49:00.001-08:002021-11-06T20:49:07.075-07:00Heretics of Dune (1984)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyev-hcxysB3ZeNMoq_cvWD6IVouLMiAsspU47AGigZx4QoHRt4Q616mCGrB4CJ2h1qTU4d7CWQ08LGYmzGo-sC7zlR5KbagyVbN842Fr-O2f0AtgyauejPlPgPAPhtaLay6L8L8iLaaI/s1600/Dune_Book_5_Nut_Ink_blogspot.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyev-hcxysB3ZeNMoq_cvWD6IVouLMiAsspU47AGigZx4QoHRt4Q616mCGrB4CJ2h1qTU4d7CWQ08LGYmzGo-sC7zlR5KbagyVbN842Fr-O2f0AtgyauejPlPgPAPhtaLay6L8L8iLaaI/s400/Dune_Book_5_Nut_Ink_blogspot.png" width="251" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Frank Herbert | <b>Page Count</b>: 508</div>
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'When things change, your absolute universe vanishes, no longer accesible for your self-limiting perceptions. The universe has moved beyond you.'</i><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">-</span><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">First Draft, Atreides Manifesto, Bene Gesserit Archives</span></span></div>
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Fifteen-hundred years have passed since the God Emperor's extended reign came to an end. Previously we witnessed Leto II musing upon the role his religion had to play in the great work and the sacrifices he had to pay to ensure it was carried out. Now we're privy to how the various factions that endure respond to that legacy and how they choose to act within its various interpretations.<br />
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Each group dreams of dominance while attempting to make the best of what the Tyrant left them. They strive to elevate their place in the universe's new shape. They're hopeful elements adrift in the human current believing their order worthy of filling the impossible gap left by his absence. They even begin to believe the whispering assurances of their own ego.<br />
<br /><b>Heretics</b> explores the 'myth of the Messiah' after he's passed, mostly by reference to, and direct experience of, movements within the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood.<br />
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The labels we give to things in some ways define and influence them, so it's fascinating to see how place names change over time. <b>Frank</b> incorporated that phenomenon into the book's structure and explores the question of whether or not the new names also change the people that reside there, or do old prejudices remain, hidden, diluted but still potent in the right hands?<br />
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Concepts and belief systems can also change and grow in the same manner. The Tyrant, for example, in some circles has become known as the Divided God, referencing the belief that he exists still as separate pearls of awareness in an endless dream. His Golden Path rolls onward.<br />
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Many different dependency infrastructures exist within the novel. Much of your reading will require you to recognise them and weigh their importance with regards to the bigger picture. I believe that's the best way to approach it, because those seeking a quick fix or a standalone resolution will be left wanting - the Divided God's story is split across more than one book. (Book VI is <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/chapterhouse-dune-1985.html" target="_blank">HERE</a>.)<br />
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4 wordless understandings out of 5<br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>NOTE</b></span>: I'm aware that the picture on the cover is the same as on <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/god-emperor-of-dune-1981.html" target="_blank">God Emperor of Dune (1981)</a>. It depicts a scene from Book IV, so was obviously an error on the publishers part (<b>New English Library</b>), but that's how my editions are.Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-75481750144281211002016-01-26T04:58:00.000-08:002016-01-26T04:58:38.809-08:00Moon Over Manifest (2010)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<b>Author</b>: Clare Vanderpool | <b>Page Count</b>: 351</div>
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"<i>Who would dare think the outcast and abandoned can find a home? Who would dream that one can love without being crushed under the weight of it? A miracle cure to heal the sick? Pah. What makes us think any of this could be true? And yet all of us, we participate in this myth, we create it, perpetuate it</i>."</div>
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Staged in the desolate years of America’s Great Depression, Clare Vanderpool’s first novel sets out to be a work of historical fiction but flies past such categorization almost instantaneously, instead choosing to consistently dwell pleasingly deep in a pool of careful and subtle characterization. As it opens, Abilene Tucker is on her way to Manifest, Kansas, a town her father Gideon has always colorfully spoken of during their life on the road.<br />
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Though the color palette and physical reality of the town may initially seem far more drab than she had envisioned, the intrigue and mystery that almost instantly manifests itself draws her and the reader into a vibrant, intricate, and sometimes foreboding yarn.<br />
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The rub is that as an adult reader the twists and turns are almost always easy to see coming. However, this is in actuality a non-issue as 1.) it’s children’s literature, 2.) a focus of the narrative is the power of seeing a story unfold even if you know the ending, and 3.) it had me so focused on what I assumed was the biggest reveal that I didn't see the ending coming at all.<br />
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It’s really quite an exquisite work in that it can show young readers how effectively plot threads, events, and objects can be woven together into a dense, satisfying reading experience. It does this with great delicate care much more akin to Watchmen (1987) than John Green’s <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2014/08/an-abundance-of-katherines-2006.html" target="_blank">An Abundance of Katherines (2006)</a>, which I personally feel was unreadable because of its hammer-fisted attempts to guide readers into understanding the use and value of metaphors.<br />
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I randomly chose this from the shelf when I found myself in a library in need of mental stimulation and it pleases me to think that those in its intended audience can do much the same and be equally as surprised and fulfilled.<br />
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4½ Tracks to Here and Back out of 5<br />
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Nutted by <b>NEG</b>STShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02531564477785912503noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-27617215562364202992015-10-22T00:01:00.000-07:002015-10-22T03:24:30.107-07:00Gyo: 2-in-1 Deluxe Edition (2015)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Author</b>: Junji Ito | <b>Illustrator</b>: Junji Ito | <b>Page Count</b>: 400</div>
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“<i>What the hell is this?</i>”</div>
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Tadashi loves his girlfriend Kaori, though the reader may find it difficult to feel similarly because her inner-bitch rises to the surface often. One of Kaori's defining features is that she has an acute sense of smell. When the ‘death stench’ first hits Okinawa it’s Kaori that's most affected. What’s causing the stench makes its presence known shortly afterwards, and that’s when things go full Junji Ito. You'll be thanking the olfactory gods that the book isn't a scratch 'n' sniff.<br />
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The creatures that live in the sea have evolved in weird ways. Their peculiarities make sense when viewed in their own environment, but on land they're so alien looking that they can be terrifying. Even the ones we're familiar with, such as sharks, would take on a whole new level of terror when making a beeline for some poor sap on a street full of cars.<br />
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The full horror of Gyo reveals slowly but the story isn't slow. It gets increasingly bizarre and ridiculous, though, helped along by some black humour and hindered by some school-yard humour. The two things are an odd pairing that for me just didn't fit together comfortably, but the artwork is always spectacular.<br />
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The Gyo storyline ends on page 358. It's followed by two shorts. The first is The Sad Tale of the Principal Post, a four-page story that's well-drawn but not very good otherwise. It's followed by what's without a doubt the best thing in the whole book, the thirty-two-page The Enigma Of Amigara Fault. Coincidently. it's one of the first Ito stories I ever read; it hasn't lost any of it's creepy power.<br />
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The book collects together both volumes of the Gyo manga into one beautifully bound HB edition. It's the same format and size as Viz's <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/uzumaki-3-in-1-deluxe-edition-2013.html" target="_blank">Uzumaki: 3-in-1 Deluxe Edition (2013)</a>; I tip all my hats to Viz for that. Uzumaki is the better story, so if you can only afford one book it's perhaps the better choice.</div>
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4 gashunks out of 5</div>
Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-17337904723379065842015-10-14T00:01:00.001-07:002017-05-07T01:04:52.406-07:00Revolutionary War (2014)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Authors</b>: Andy Lanning / Alan Cowsill / Kieron Gillen / Rob Williams / Glenn Dakin / Brent Eric Anderson / Tom Palmer / Richard Elson || <b>Illustrators</b>: Richard Elson / Dietrich O. Smith / Will Sliney / Nick Roche / Brent Eric Anderson / Tom Palmer / Ronan Cliquet / Gary Erskine / Richard Elson || <b>Page Count</b>: 192</div>
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<i>"I'm so tired. I've made mistakes. I wish they mattered."</i></div>
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A revival for a number of original Marvel UK characters after a staggering twenty year absence from the shelves! They first appeared in a bi-weekly anthology called <b>Overkill</b> that dared to go up against 2000 AD. It was a valiant attempt, but they were forced to call it a day after just 52 issues. (I have the original series from way back then. Someday I'll maybe venture into the eldritch wardrobe, unearth them from their resting place of two decades and do a retrospective.)<br />
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Seeing them return for an eight-issue miniseries gave me warm fuzzies, but there's a sour downside, a surreptitious reason for their timely return. It isn't just a loving way to mark an anniversary, it was a toe-dip in the water to see if it would be possible to introduce them into the larger Marvel Universe; i.e. The American market. They brought the Overkill heroes back hoping to throw them into a pool of withered storytelling that's overflowing with spandex and fan-wank. That crushing realisation comes in the first few pages and it puts a dampener on the revisit. Damn you, Marvel, for doing what you have every right to do.<br />
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The crux of the story: the Mys-Tech Organisation that years before was a thorn in the side of every one of the characters is attempting an aggressive comeback. For Dark Angel that's a deeply upsetting prospect. The debt she inherited as a result of the Faustian deal between Mys-Tech and Mephisto was one written in perpetuity. If the Corporation return they'll upset the dubious balance that she struggles to maintain and the world could become a playground for techno-mage ambition. (That would be worse that the current government?)<br />
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The first and last chapters provide a catch-up and resolution to the overall series, respectively. The six bookended chapters wisely narrow their focus primarily to one hero/duo/team. Dark Angel was one of the strongest pillars of the original comic, so it's right that she should feature prominently, but juggling the small in the large is a difficult task for any writer, meaning some of the other interesting characters get criminally overlooked. One or two are absent completely.<br />
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If you're a fan of the Overkill comic, be prepared for your reintroduction to be as messy and hurried as many of the other recent Marvel 'events'. If you're new to the whole thing, then it's possible you'll be underwhelmed and slightly confused.<br />
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The book contains all eight parts of the Revolutionary War miniseries: RW: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG0G6kRjTbrBjJJyUGA6NN_W9J5t8BH28rmw4fcPmA9fcWvdM6Mc1fHnzy6Ate6W-5NCcC0qycgAiuTUVfhfA5Ara4Z-QRIzlwILMfQ1smF2ogOLH5ceqWePbKtsqoXi9oo2bFnB8PktU/s1600/Revolutionary_War_Alpha_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" target="_blank">Alpha</a>; RW: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGbQJ5WpsnzJbpBqnzVxp9cv-_r1pQyftmDlIiQC_MJrUyk9UCSMWwCuUBRVPMlvKrvTd3mjVWYUFpL_kTYC3tjj176K-yO1PKPxjC_BrdnQaGWyWNyGAe5pp3HhNptby2S_y1M1dtEQ/s1600/Revolutionary_Dark_Angel_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" target="_blank">Dark Angel</a>; RW: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjowJplTAOL1LO5NhjcBdgvioSpCF0xs_CGLyy9ZNbJHz0WtswgHL2_WkVwxLWL5qvjKjXtE8SDRyLHYBWvDByfbEAXGIwOx9G0cb0X_EefUOxtkoDVo5jOcsHiCNFSY8021JGfKMXj-WI/s1600/Revolutionary_Knights_of_Pendragon_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" target="_blank">Knights of Pendragon</a>; RW: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8U5X17hpu3qyvTfd5OXjXmf9XvleVsqwe8t9tfvIkef9xEixLiQ7M2rMtXj_6nAnzbIalH6x16FIB35X6x4ZkXfM2ayOQG7vzAiJZ4ay1bAWFP9wbPZo7RQHlQE4HftEWuv1zWd18i-g/s1600/Revolutionary_War_Death's_Head_II_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" target="_blank">Death's Head II</a>; RW: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GrJGeBmmD3bypH2DSZk8sIW9NJvS5mjrbcjsneV_zdY0nEISvFhhlMoH764TzJOsSYbAWSHX1edaYgfPNH9jZvyfFwhgLa7s0PEL2qi75PthaVBdQvdWRkLxb5bsFBSRf3EF08sIyXs/s1600/Revolutionary_War_Supersoldiers_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" target="_blank">Supersoldiers</a>; RW: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs5KlujHhdfmJ8mloEFbmIjbFaz_qsploAjZk25UT5p8m9OmsIXAMZ0JekiO5Wy9ZtnwuMyL-Z1GnF1BGxotV7g-Uvw-uojDp9UDeTTXwfCc-3ycB2A7xZazI5lviuYxlir-ITYjmj1Ig/s1600/Revolutionary_War_Motormouth_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" target="_blank">Motormouth</a>; RW: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipnnuZ63U2GPBLFkNiHXicP_w_gA-XgAuKb22cjf21gspYKR17vd6grCS3jt62F3Ken2LPNRK2Go1sjO9_fZnUn1fIRKb97wdgeY_LC-9J814SaWx19dyfKf7mJzXiw6x5forTpeIztwg/s1600/Revolutionary_War_Warheads_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" target="_blank">Warheads</a>; and RW: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAqPiQG_nYVH8i4p7Q8e-H5vkF_eWPsnAUV2bTV2ccMtRlnMOMsYrdrnBqWenoDdnC3gDukSTFOu-GgnJ_T3F7l55uJ_vQX88MPBG1jnrJ95rBt2PYsZH3HsQSwECwBpvg5eXCQigUbw/s1600/Revolutionary_War_Omega_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" target="_blank">Omega</a>. That's also the order they're designed to be read if you have them as single issue one-shots.</div>
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2½ metres below the Museum of Pagan Antiquities out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-64104798250135327152015-10-07T00:01:00.001-07:002021-04-08T05:35:10.048-07:00The Halloween Tree (1972 / 2015)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNqqfjzwJVxQxgSw7yFA1okktH8j8ChQQ_5EwFiFymKycRWhOkXgzFmFMOS9QxVnyYJ_SNxkbkXacH2oz57snXxdqaFknb94IDty7sWFq4smK1tLAnLOB6ScuCVJuf4UWLid-aWCSyG8/s1600/The_Halloween_Tree_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGNqqfjzwJVxQxgSw7yFA1okktH8j8ChQQ_5EwFiFymKycRWhOkXgzFmFMOS9QxVnyYJ_SNxkbkXacH2oz57snXxdqaFknb94IDty7sWFq4smK1tLAnLOB6ScuCVJuf4UWLid-aWCSyG8/s400/The_Halloween_Tree_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Ray Bradbury | <b>Illustrator</b>: Gris Grimly | <b>Page Count</b>: 144<br />
<br /><i>
'The wind played a flute in a chimney somewhere; an old song about time and dark and far places. The tall man shut up his smile like a bright pocketknife.'</i></div>
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A new HB edition of <b>Bradbury</b>'s 1972 children's book that has black and white and colour illustrations by <b>Gris Grimly</b> in place of the classic <b>Joe Mugnaini</b> art. <b>Joe</b>'s art is much more dramatically menacing, but <b>Grimly</b>'s 'darkly whimsical' style is also well-suited to the text, a story of eight friends who go on a journey one magical Halloween night. They're trying to solve a mystery and save a friend who may or may not be feeling quite himself. As they search for one thing they uncover answers to many things, deepening the allure of the season.<br />
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It begins in an unnamed mid-west American state with Tom Skelton, aged thirteen, going out to trick or treat with his friends, each one dressed in a different but traditional fright-night costume. But why are they traditional? What do witches have to do with an autumnal festival? Why are bandaged mummies paraded just once a year? As the boys uncover the mysteries of Halloween in an inimitable <b>Bradbury</b> way the reader learns their origin, too. Well, one interpretation of such.<br />
<br /><b>
Grimly</b>'s inky illustrations are highly stylised, sometimes half a page, sometimes full page. They're well-placed for the most part, but there's one colour plate in particular set before the appearance of the text it relates to. I dislike when that happens. It's almost like having sound and picture not properly synced in a film.<br />
<br />
The colour pages are glossy and attractive, so why is the paper stock used for the text such cheap quality? It's not at all what you'd expect to see in a HB edition of an author so well-loved by so many. The publisher probably paid a lot of money for the privilege of republishing, and I realise they likely had to offset costs somehow, but compromising on paper quality is not the best solution. That's an adult concern for what's essentially a children's book, but I stand by it. It matters because if this particular edition is your child's introduction to the story, or even to <b>Bradbury</b>, then they may want to keep and treasure it for years to come.<br />
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3 candle constellations out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-74534349416994859652015-10-01T00:01:00.000-07:002017-05-29T01:29:12.507-07:00Dead Boy Detectives: Vol 2: Ghost Snow (2015)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLVRGRKPCXn3DfxNgAzGDjnyldmqhM0qZfCM4dQf0vsiN_9dgs9krAtrkFMpbqFJyhX2eWydqglAn8iQgFyhtGhZC9RCBnZKdDCrcGV7dgQpHLoWhNoxDZhQwXwHmsKbDCYf_fwwIuJaM/s1600/Dead_Boy_Detectives_Vol_2_Large.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWGPCJJBfEHRjgUSPDre4N8Y_YK4cbwr122EAgTfiAyeO94xQEz3W-8VchR-b1FbPv9hM7gZvmNOSijCgyJEVhwmsFqkhBokWxbgcoQS0_fy7AJIpDRzZ104o05jRxPr3i4XVuQiTcNk/s400/Dead_Boy_Detectives_Vol_2_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="260" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Toby Litt | <b>Illustrators</b>: Mark Buckingham / Gary Erskine | <b>Page Count</b>: 160</div>
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'<i>I saw my best friend, Rosa, taken by an evil ghost. I was eight.</i></div>
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<i>No one believed me</i>.'</div>
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<a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/dead-boy-detectives-vol-1-schoolboy.html" target="_blank">Vol 1: Schoolboy Terrors (2014)</a> left some pretty fantastical threads in need of gathering at its climax. Volume 2 picks them all up and weaves them into a tapestry that has the present represented on one side and the past on the other; Charles’ past, to be specific. I said last time that the boys love a mystery; that’s still true, but for Charles the feeling has gotten more complicated because it’s his family that is the mystery and he’s a piece of the puzzle. He fears what he’ll discover if he starts the digging process, and he fears what he’ll become if he doesn't. The truth can hurt even when you’re dead.<br />
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One of the most significant of the aforementioned threads was the one that connected to the Neitherlands. Events there run concurrently with events back on Earth as Charles and Edwin make some new friends. The new characters have a significant role to play, and even though they're dropped into a story that's already under way, they're well-rounded (i.e. well-written) enough to hold their own, even the two feuding philosopher kittens.<br />
<br />
I enjoyed Ghost Snow a little more than I did Schoolboy Terrors, but it was largely due to having a solid background already in place, and I suspect that when I go back and re-read them both in one sitting then the collective score will be at least equal the one given below, or perhaps even higher.<br />
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Sadly, it concludes the short run of the revived series. Like many of the Sandman offshoots it didn't outstay its welcome, it left me wanting more. (Shut up, wallet!)<br />
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The book collects together Dead Boy Detectives issues 7-12 (The End... for now?).</div>
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4 faithful poppets out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-60620235070304085902015-09-21T00:01:00.001-07:002015-09-21T00:01:00.617-07:00The Hellbound Heart (1986)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0OqUa_t4icRU4g9Df4IzySx15MFhyphenhyphen4vnhUoXcT3XoQ75hjsLaYpGoU_6_Y7ZlQC25xPJABx_YKHWKTRCd12BPDANmvIq_77Hs8iQpOcZy-pZmQjdJUln906nWyjVCkJ7pq4FWevpw_4/s1600/The_Hellbound_Heart_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC0OqUa_t4icRU4g9Df4IzySx15MFhyphenhyphen4vnhUoXcT3XoQ75hjsLaYpGoU_6_Y7ZlQC25xPJABx_YKHWKTRCd12BPDANmvIq_77Hs8iQpOcZy-pZmQjdJUln906nWyjVCkJ7pq4FWevpw_4/s400/The_Hellbound_Heart_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Clive Barker | <b>Page Count</b>: 128</div>
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'<i>Everywhere, in the wreckage around him, he found evidence to support the same bitter thesis: that he had encountered nothing in his life—no person, no state of mind or body—he wanted sufficiently to suffer even passing discomfort for.</i>'</div>
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The novella that became more famous for being filmed as Hellraiser (1987) by Barker himself is a fine example of how good an author he used to be. His prose effectively blends the fantastical with an exploration of the common from an uncommon perspective. In Frank Cotton Barker created a character for whom hedonistic desire has exceeded earthly pleasures, forcing him to cross an unseen border into the realms of the unknown: a meeting with the Order of the Gash.<br />
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The Cenobites, as they're more often referred to, are creatures for whom dealings in pleasure are a currency and a privilege, but their definitions of what pleasures of the flesh entail long ago exceeded the human sadomasochistic scale.<br />
<br />
There are only four main characters. Unlike Frank the other three aren't as seasoned or as inherently obsessive in their pursuits. Their world is smaller. They're regular people with regular needs. Part of what makes them interesting is that, while each person's desire is different, they're tangled up together: two are in a loveless marriage, while the third is dealing with feelings of unrequited love. Everyone, including the antagonist Frank, craves something that only exists outside of themselves, and some of them dare to reach for it.<br />
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As first chapters go it's one of his more repulsive ones. The calculated grossness continues in the same vein throughout. You get the feeling that Barker has visualised the scenes so completely that he was able to move around within them, see them from all angles and even, on occasion, smell their vileness.<br />
<br />
The Pinhead character that has become the hideous figurehead of the film series isn't in the book, or rather isn't the same as the one film fans will be familiar with. Putting his image on the cover was a cheap lure by Harper Collins. But I do love the unifying border design they used across all their early Barker books.<br />
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4 perverse logics out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-19147935311284209782015-09-14T00:01:00.000-07:002016-07-18T07:37:56.330-07:00Terror of Godzilla (1988)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1msNEV493meHSzsPz5ojNUELJFle5lAV4czPeJDQBn7GWEUYKJVYoYncd-D1AmR13ZQnnzImTk3hcYm3XhAUXMMn1hOHB_El5h7J3C-q31-uN9GnPdYuAW5YB6TgHJ8rfx5MKCyas0Q8/s1600/Terror_of_Godzilla_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1msNEV493meHSzsPz5ojNUELJFle5lAV4czPeJDQBn7GWEUYKJVYoYncd-D1AmR13ZQnnzImTk3hcYm3XhAUXMMn1hOHB_El5h7J3C-q31-uN9GnPdYuAW5YB6TgHJ8rfx5MKCyas0Q8/s1600/Terror_of_Godzilla_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
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<b>Author and Illustrator: </b>Kazuhisa Iwata | <b>Translators</b>:<br />
Mike Richardson / Randy Stradley | <b>Page Count</b>: Approx 30 per issue (176 total)</div>
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<i><br /></i>
<i>“...conventional weapons only seem to make him angrier!”</i></div>
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A six-issue miniseries set thirty years after the events of the first Godzilla film (1954). Japan has been free of kaijū trouble since then, but a natural volcanic eruption in the Pacific Ocean changes that. It's time to suit up, JSDF.<br />
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The first thing you ought to know is that the English language edition published by Darkhorse is the original manga translated but it's been coloured (the original was B+W). I'd have preferred it left as it was intended, but in all fairness it's not a bad job and the upside is we get it on better paper stock than Japan did. I'm going to take the optimistic stance and say that it could've been much worse, truly.<br />
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Artwork is Tezuka-inspired. Issue one is occasionally gruesome, but subsequent issues are less interesting. There’s not much emotion conveyed through facial expressions and it bothered me that the plucky hero, reporter Goro Maki, was drawn with his mouth open most of the time, surrounded by dramatic lines that did little to increase the actual drama of the scene. He gets himself stuck between two G's, the Government and Godzilla, but with help from a Professor of bio-physics named Hayashida he's determined to see the story to the end.<br />
<br />
The story itself does everything you’d expect it to do and a few more things besides. The creature—referred to as male—puts the fear of G into the people of Japan. He and his man-boobs get at least a half dozen two-page spreads, often dialogue-free, that are impressive, effectively showing the scale of the problem.<br />
<br />
America and Russia get involved in a secondary capacity, having commentary on atomics pinned to their inflated chests. During one such scene it succinctly puts into perspective the attitude that men of war have toward nuclear weapons and the bombing of cities into just three small panels. It shows how justification for such action is balanced against proximity to home soil (i.e. how far from home). A human error can be even more terrifying than Mother Nature's.<br />
<br />
The quality takes a dive with the addition of a clichéd, hysterical female calmed by male rationality, in turn followed by male heroics and female sensitivity. Oh, dear. And finally, to punctuate the gender inequalities further, it ends with a daring act of male chivalry! You’ll see it coming from a mile away. The same story was handled much more competently in the film version, The Return of Godzilla (1984). The post-explosive ending is definitely memorable, though.<br />
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2½ instances of <b><i>THOOM!</i></b> out of 5<br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Note</span></b>: You can find spoiler-free, mini-reviews of some of the many Godzilla films (and some other other kaijū eiga films) on our sister site, <a href="http://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/the-kaiju-collection.html" target="_blank">In a Nutshell</a>.Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-67228489304960744442015-09-07T00:01:00.000-07:002017-09-10T10:17:32.761-07:00True Grit (1968)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4946k3hhP55PJENOHGTEIT6VXhshVzrCReOEFiSU25zdhk5Iz1oFEXJYA5rzsPvy2VBJaYP6NnLBfYJ5kfYsre5X0WqyaTSefsQY3-ie5SWdinhh3CQtfz7oPAhefmMddl3LJ9bZFDQ8/s1600/True_Grit_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4946k3hhP55PJENOHGTEIT6VXhshVzrCReOEFiSU25zdhk5Iz1oFEXJYA5rzsPvy2VBJaYP6NnLBfYJ5kfYsre5X0WqyaTSefsQY3-ie5SWdinhh3CQtfz7oPAhefmMddl3LJ9bZFDQ8/s400/True_Grit_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Charles Portis | <b>Page Count</b>: 227</div>
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“<i>You go for a man hard enough and fast enough and he don’t have time to think about how many is with him, he thinks about himself and how he may get clear out of the wrath that is about to set down on him</i>.”</div>
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Though it won't matter very much to anyone reading this, I've been a fan of the Western film genre for almost thirty years (thanks, mom ♥) but until picking up True Grit for the first time last week I'd never actually read a Western novel.<span style="color: red;">*</span> The reason I mention that at all is to point out that an enjoyment of one isn't dependent on a love of the other. The book and its characters are so well-written that they would stand head and shoulders above thousands of similar types no matter what year or setting they were placed in.<br />
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It's the story of a fourteen-year-old girl who sets out to avenge the murder of her father. The murder happened before the book begins, so that's not a spoiler.<br />
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The narrative is first person, told by the girl, Mattie Ross, in a conversational style. Mattie's a young woman in a man's world, but she's not the stereotype. She's strong-willed and of the view that her education puts her on equal footing and deserving an equal amount of respect to that of her elders. Her elders, for the most part, are men of low virtue who see the world very differently to her.<br />
<br />
And then there's Deputy Marshal Rooster Cogburn who knows first-hand the cruelties and hardships that await anyone who undertakes the kind of endeavour she sets in motion. Cogburn's badge gives him licence to act the way he does, but he'd do the same even without it. He's a man of principals; ones unique to himself.<br />
<br />
Mattie occasionally gets lost in the telling, jumping ahead of herself to give an account of things that happened years after the novel's main story. It effectively conveys her feelings about what constitutes justice, often vindicating her strong opinions about things. She likes to say 'I was right,' as much as the next man.<br />
<br />
The dialogue is of the era (1880-ish) but never difficult to read. There's some excellent comedy moments that had me howling even though they're sometimes played straight. Portis kept the momentum thundering along from beginning to end. There wasn't a single moment when I wasn't eager to turn the page and keep on reading. His final chapter is simply astonishing.<br />
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5 measures of people out of 5</div>
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<span style="color: red;">*</span>Unless you count Stephen King's <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20Dark%20Tower" target="_blank">Dark Tower</a> series, but the magical realism aspects of it complicate any kind of straight-up classification.Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-58700370117142101972015-09-01T00:01:00.000-07:002017-05-29T01:29:27.311-07:00Dead Boy Detectives: Vol 1: Schoolboy Terrors (2014)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvPlOjerGcfUc3pIOxNduhgq83Ji183iv3IlZlfc8q1YSrQQ0dCz-ArCU5CzbGRjdpQC_oKsr-xFN_Gaet7z22YxFa-OhWkJ4r0bdFSCALPhlTjRCB73neqPuuy34167pGVDL4qs0M2LU/s1600/Dead_Boy_Detectives_Vol_1_Nut_Ink_blogspot_Large.jpg" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2TuLG3BL-Ygp0BfdaCcS9UbK4zu3-ouBo3kl8G-oZbQ7kyzdUh_SpWgrQSskRPQt4hwoDEKfc21XU-LcCJ_FgfMFs5pWmRm-Hp-alMmjcLxsAiPRW0Q97fvu2bIrTq78LOUM_RVTAT-w/s1600/Dead_Boy_Detectives_Vol_1_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="264" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Toby Litt | <b>Illustrators</b>: Mark Buckingham / Gary Erskine | <b>Page Count</b>: 160</div>
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'...<i>He always treats us like royalty, it's just... sometimes it's the red carpet... and sometimes it's the guillotine</i>.'</div>
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Of all The Sandman secondary characters that could've been revived for an ongoing series the Dead Boy Detectives wasn't high on my list of wants, but Toby Litt has changed that. The <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/sandman-presents-dead-boy-detectives.html" target="_blank">previous incarnation (2001)</a> is acknowledged and respected but Litt has taken a different approach to the storytelling. He doesn't reinvent what's already in existence, he rejuvenates it, making everything feel more vital and a lot more entertaining.<br />
<br />
The two boys, Charles Rowland and Edwin Paine, were born decades apart but they share a passion for solving mysteries. Where there’s a mystery it follows that there’s almost always danger; doubly so if the occult is involved. When the two friends decide to help a young girl they find themselves in the deep end of personal history, surrounded by terrors unique to them. It's a place where being already dead is no guarantee of safety.<br />
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Something I don’t think I've mentioned before is the work of Todd Klein, the finest letterer in the business. If you're new to comics you might think that it’s just text and any fool can do it, but no, not like Todd. His text boxes, bubbles, etc, complement Litt's dialogue by being written in different fonts and presented via different mediums, each one chosen specifically to accentuate the traits and unique personalities of the character from which they originate. Edwin was born in the 1900s, so you'd expect his vernacular to reflect that, but so too does his lettering. Likewise, Charles is a child of the 1990s, his analytical approach to things is more hard-boiled and so his lettering reflects that.<br />
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If you pay attention not just to what you read but to how it's written then you'll discover many more examples. Hopefully it'll open the way for you to appreciate the other unsung heroes in comics, such as inkers and colourists, too.<br />
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The book collects together Dead Boy Detectives issues 1-6; and stories from Witching Hour issue 1; Ghosts issue 1; and Time Warp issue 1.</div>
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3½ French exchanges out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-22747324361127490202015-08-21T00:01:00.000-07:002015-10-03T10:38:37.639-07:00The Yellow Wall-Paper (1892)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_bAgSh7dH_M6ATBq1495gNokBNH_EKz3LASRdmB_lt9y-RWrD4LkE3A_eTVby8L2nY1sDZ4CBMQ2GBJh69kJMMtXHwVCT3vYUwoFqpgdnufDVAzVI7K5rk0w6zHyBrqXucMAWy0edYM/s1600/The_Yellow_Wall-Paper_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC_bAgSh7dH_M6ATBq1495gNokBNH_EKz3LASRdmB_lt9y-RWrD4LkE3A_eTVby8L2nY1sDZ4CBMQ2GBJh69kJMMtXHwVCT3vYUwoFqpgdnufDVAzVI7K5rk0w6zHyBrqXucMAWy0edYM/s1600/The_Yellow_Wall-Paper_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Charlotte Perkins Gilman | <b>Page Count</b>: 55 | <b>Publisher</b>: Penguin</div>
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“<i>It is dull enough to confuse the eye in following, pronounced enough to constantly irritate and provoke study, and when you follow the lame uncertain curves for a little distance they suddenly commit suicide—plunge off at outrageous angles, destroy themselves in unheard of contradictions.</i>”</div>
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If you hear the name Charlotte Perkins Gilman spoken outside of critical circles then it'll more than likely be in reference to The Yellow Wall-Paper. Her most famous work, it constantly overshadows all the others. It's a short but deeply engaging first person narrative from a woman who—in the eyes of her physician husband—has fulfilled her main role as wife. Being of the weaker sex means she should quietly do as she's told for her own well-being. Confined to an attic room, with nothing to occupy her sharp intellect, her state of mind deteriorates.<br />
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Her husband’s cure for her sickness, one that he believes is of her own making, does more harm than good. Left alone she reads, writes and draws comparisons that wouldn't have existed had she been allowed to walk free. The patterned wallpaper is ever-present; its influence is inescapable.<br />
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Gilman’s unnamed protagonist is a sympathetic character whose journal entries get more hurried and feverish as subsequent days pass, a written account of the truth she hides from her husband. Her silence speaks of a strength that the model, meek wife ought not to have. Gilman had a very real insight into the workings of her character’s mind, having suffered from postpartum psychosis herself. Making such thoughts public, in a fictional but undeniably semi-autobiographical manner, shook the restrained sensibilities of nineteenth-century readers.<br />
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The pictured edition includes two additional short stories. The first of them, Rocking Chair, was published just one year after TYW. It's a creepy tale, also a first person narrative, about two friends that together find lodgings in the same house. The text explores the tensile nature of the bond they share, and how it's affected by the introduction of a female presence. It reminded me of Poe's work at times, being concerned with an impulse that partially conceals itself from the person it moves. Again, it's an excellent short, proving Charlotte's mastery a second time.<br />
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The final story, Old War, first published in 1911, is the weakest of the three but still superbly written. Both it and Rocking Chair illustrate how well Gilman was able to write both sexes. A mother who wants for her daughter the romanticised love that she never had, a practical young woman who wants none of it, and a poet suitor representing everything that's false about the poetic method all dance around each other, neither one prepared to admit failure.<br />
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5 provoking forms out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-2582048828817268222015-08-14T00:01:00.000-07:002015-08-14T00:01:00.450-07:00The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen: Nemo: River Of Ghosts (2015)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVbxDhIFkosQ6LHRfTz_RLQI7_Q9DQNWCo_UFJsGvZqrT4gz3HJmlCIlo2SBVWkFf9AArOP7uo6LZA2278CeJ6_nLuem2c-0l125KqTqAjeVMjF3DDfIta2dLO2ATY_0a8A22ruxvqYw/s1600/The_League_of_Extraordinary_Gentlemen_Nemo_River_of_Ghosts_Nut_Ink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoVbxDhIFkosQ6LHRfTz_RLQI7_Q9DQNWCo_UFJsGvZqrT4gz3HJmlCIlo2SBVWkFf9AArOP7uo6LZA2278CeJ6_nLuem2c-0l125KqTqAjeVMjF3DDfIta2dLO2ATY_0a8A22ruxvqYw/s1600/The_League_of_Extraordinary_Gentlemen_Nemo_River_of_Ghosts_Nut_Ink.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Alan Moore | <b>Illustrator</b>: Kevin O'Neill | <b>Page Count</b>: 56</div>
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"<i>It was the piranhas mostly. They can be spiteful if they're in yer trousers.</i>.."</div>
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Eighty-year-old Janni gathers together a crew (one of whom would've certainly been worthy of League membership in an earlier time) for one last sailing of the Nautilus into the heart of darkness; i.e. up the Amazon. Her ultimate goal is to put to rest someone who ought to have been dead years before, someone we've met before and for whom death was initially a long time coming.<br />
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She’s wizened and determined, with a face that looks like it’s been carved out of wood. Many of the crew think her mad, but she’s knows the truth.<br />
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It’s not usually until my second read-through that I'm able to appreciate the intricacies of the League books. I'm too busy trying to spot extraneous references and getting lost in the backgrounds during the first read. But I enjoyed River of Ghosts on the first pass. Either Moore has finally found a suitable level of outside influences being pitched inside, or I simply overlooked a ton of them. Either way, it was a more fluid experience, enabling me to get caught up in the yarn easily.<br />
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The aforementioned crew member is Janni’s bodyguard. He's an amalgamation of more than one fictional/legendary character, and more than once he steals the show with his actions; at one point he even does it while having lunch.<br />
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The ending is abrupt, but the entire thing had been leading organically up to it, so in the overall scheme it’s simply punctuation that serves a dual purpose. If you've followed the journey up until now then there’s no reason not to step aboard for the conclusion to the trilogy. If you've been hesitant because of how it was split over time, as was the case with Century it'll likely get a collected edition sometime in the future with new O'Neill cover art; an option is to wait for that.<br />
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3 broken lady parts out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-27919969621934660112015-08-07T00:01:00.000-07:002017-06-03T17:58:11.772-07:00George's Marvellous Medicine (1981)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLsX3Xf1tPAPuOTuNdoY1erzN7r74O4S7_0fC9TbEvdGbV7HcqwS7ARqV6JMGHRnaKKLDEtIKXZ_JBUd-na_Wx3aaFGL-1uRBn7FuNp39uBsBIfdQp16GKSUMnzGeM53sCA8Y-FdAgco/s1600/George%2527s_Marvelous_Medicine_Nut_Ink.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKLsX3Xf1tPAPuOTuNdoY1erzN7r74O4S7_0fC9TbEvdGbV7HcqwS7ARqV6JMGHRnaKKLDEtIKXZ_JBUd-na_Wx3aaFGL-1uRBn7FuNp39uBsBIfdQp16GKSUMnzGeM53sCA8Y-FdAgco/s400/George%2527s_Marvelous_Medicine_Nut_Ink.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: Roald Dahl | <b>Illustrator</b>: Quentin Blake | <b>Page Count</b>: 96</div>
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'<i>She had pale brown teeth and a small puckered-up mouth like a dog's bottom</i>.'</div>
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I can barely remember what I did yesterday afternoon, but I can recall easily the first time I read about George Kranky's Marvellous Medicine. I was aged ten. It was a long time ago. Four separate classes in the school I attended (and loved) were gathered together in one room for an important presentation. I never did find out what was so important because soon after arrival I shuffled my way to the back left corner of a sea of cross-legged children on the floor, hid myself within the maelstrom as best I could, opened up the book and started to read. None of the teachers noticed and after a few minutes I forgot they even existed.<br />
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It's a short book with a simple plot. George's mother goes to town, leaving the eight-year-old at home with his grandmother. George hates his gran, but being the only one other than her in the house means he's now responsible for administering the old girl's daily dose of medicine. Instead of her regular brown medicine in a boring bottle, George decides to make his own concoction.<br />
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The adult part of me was screaming about how irresponsible it all was, especially when he reached the garden shed, but the part of me that still enjoys that kind of freedom was rubbing his hands together wickedly and sniggering way too much.<br />
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If you've ever wanted to write for children then there’s no better teacher than Dahl. <b>Marvellous Medicine</b> certainly isn't his best work, but he doesn't waste a single word and once the story really kicks off it doesn't stop, so there's still something to be learned from it.<br />
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George's father is a fun character. I'd never really considered his point of view before. Nor that of the chickens. I felt sorry for them. They get a bad enough deal as it is having a tiny brain, not being able to fly and being tasty when cooked.<br />
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Young children will have a blast picturing all the weird ingredients, while adults will recognise how significant events change everyone who partakes or witnesses them, even the people that don't take the medicine.<br />
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3 spoonfuls of alternative sugar out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-82461266018811972362015-08-01T00:01:00.000-07:002015-08-01T00:01:00.188-07:00WitchCraft: La Terreur (1998)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHE9TjTK697wcPlLIUDYp6wI7ZlWCnnEE0Gkr97ec_ugBa4YBMuOZ6ydLivI-P5EwiTEuR317LcS0OPkWrRCgat4aR2ptG057RhGWoHEsKCIKkJudLugplmFiEZWQ9itCrdgnzBXCxTk/s1600/WitchCraft_La_Terreur_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="311" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTHE9TjTK697wcPlLIUDYp6wI7ZlWCnnEE0Gkr97ec_ugBa4YBMuOZ6ydLivI-P5EwiTEuR317LcS0OPkWrRCgat4aR2ptG057RhGWoHEsKCIKkJudLugplmFiEZWQ9itCrdgnzBXCxTk/s1600/WitchCraft_La_Terreur_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: James Robinson | <b>Illustrator</b>: Michael Zulli | <b>Page Count</b>: 72 (24 x 3)</div>
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“…<i>nothing is for nothing</i>.”</div>
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La Terreur translates to The Terror, referencing a period in France’s past (also known as The Reign of Terror) in which a bloody revolution took place as people tried to turn the political climate from a Monarchy into a Republic. Wikipedia has more details if you want to brush up on the cultural and political happenings around which the story is set (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reign_of_Terror" target="_blank">HERE</a>).</div>
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It’s the second series of three, being a sequel to <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/witchcraft-1996.html" target="_blank">WitchCraft (1994)</a>, but you don’t need to have read the previous books because the only returning characters are The Hecate, three witches previously seen in the Sandman universe, and it doesn't continue the same story. It’s a new adventure with them taking less of an active role. Instead, they're more of a catalyst. It's also a lot less enjoyable.</div>
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The main protagonist is Isadore Hibbert, aged seventeen. Circumstances leave Isadore with a problem and a limited time in which to deal with it. If she isn't able to increase her intellectual, spiritual and magical growth before it's too late then there'll be additional blood spilled on the cobbles. She’s a likable lass, but her story lacks flourish or any kind of identifiable uniqueness; it feels rushed, and any depth that might have been is a casualty of the short page count.</div>
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Zulli’s sketchy lines suit the mood and he gets creative with panel borders once or twice. The finery of the nobles gives him an opportunity to add some colour.</div>
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2½ unfettered times out of 5</div>
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<b><span style="color: red;">NOTE</span></b>: The picture at the top of this post is an amalgamation of Michael Kaluta's cover art of all three issues. You can see a much larger version by clicking <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6FCg6b98dPhYqwFF104VWoYcrtVCNs7AXCqTzoax81ZIis9mV_im3QJKHrDtZBOHIUfx832JCzA0KyeNxDuUedNMkUW0FfIMTGzi6g2xLquCs1JrZfBMK2n0mdeiIfvZISWXDNGn33fk/s1600/WitchCraft_La_Terreur_Wallpaper_Nut_Ink.jpg" target="_blank">HERE</a>, or if you prefer to see each individual cover: <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_4LiZY2twLm3VDrNuusZoVo3QEGYUP75YFtRSSe3SHpkkHMwLscgtuTzf7sznYA22aq82F_PsnQq3FBRIHvj627VscoO8LF6vdbXFFeQQ-maecjBCm0dS9byJbxxfczjTTrjitWqUnL0/s1600/WitchCraft_La_Terreur_1_of_3_Nut_Ink.jpg" target="_blank">ONE</a> <span style="color: red;">//</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopowo0yXMWcLsihoKj2V5rS5SnUEg1vonDp4FeLuulHqRYvksbFhkaZD7ZAe_CWqt9QrQHBWGgxL_KcZ8owjOTVdo1r3l74Our98abnNc1bKlfJu7KK1lDB6m4fegGxaGhQuGz4H8KMQ/s1600/WitchCraft_La_Terreur_2_of_3_Nut_Ink.jpg" target="_blank">TWO</a> <span style="color: red;">//</span> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvtY6BC2C_OwnZT8zBUWo-gs9m72RAr-fyJbZIqYLPj3reWxRgA_QwM9WhSPnjHKM-6xMU4tfeDwdK4RdrSEp5hKK4hNljA7djBXG7azCHo5Ovp4tx0IUKH50Ge0GnxYf6c1XfU2-2lo/s1600/WitchCraft_La_Terreur_3_of_3_Nut_Ink.jpg" target="_blank">THREE</a>.Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-14865660671610424142015-07-21T00:01:00.001-07:002023-12-13T06:57:39.458-08:00The Tragedy of Macbeth (c.1599-1606)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzWINzky5AfjaUyYfO-i8onXdZmDHc-p3g24atAW7SNkIStT6SGaca6jsV4px4shGisPK7dOmZA0bXqHsAcjXfTlPTxKlcOwHGww9f4XFHJ3nw-UiPj1hgRTEY2bYCD90L4WWz05UCT4/s1600/The_Tragedy_of_Macbeth_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPzWINzky5AfjaUyYfO-i8onXdZmDHc-p3g24atAW7SNkIStT6SGaca6jsV4px4shGisPK7dOmZA0bXqHsAcjXfTlPTxKlcOwHGww9f4XFHJ3nw-UiPj1hgRTEY2bYCD90L4WWz05UCT4/s1600/The_Tragedy_of_Macbeth_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="267" /></a></div>
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<b>Author</b>: William Shakespeare | <b>Page Count</b>: 128<br />
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<i>"Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." </i></div>
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The Tragedy of Macbeth (aka simply as Macbeth) is one of the easiest of Shakespeare's Tragedies to get to grips with for a newcomer, and of the ones I've read is my personal favourite, but not for the same reason. It's because despite its short length it packs in a ton of good stuff, including the supernatural, prophecy, blood, murder, gender, guilt, conflict, reversals, paranoia, insanity and metaphor.<br />
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Though given less time than her husband, the real star is arguably Lady Macbeth, a woman for whom ambition is so all-consuming that she willingly steps into a world of terrible consequence while fully aware that what she does is deserving of retribution. For Lady Macbeth, failure is a greater sin than murder; 'bitch is crazy' in modern parlance. Her famous soliloquy in Act 1, Scene 5 highlights it.<br />
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The "fair is foul, and foul is fair" comment made by the witches is an instruction on how best to approach the events that follow, and exploring whether or not the prophecy was self-fulfilling is an easy way to get marks on a term paper, but if you wish to go deeper into the narrative you could compare how the lifeblood of man relates to the lifeblood of Scotland; the death of a leader with the death of moral values; and even what role Christendom plays in the resolution, if any.<br />
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There'll always be arguments among scholars about the intended meaning of the many subtexts that Shakespeare added, but one thing everyone who reads the work can agree upon is that visitors always call at the worst possible time.<br />
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4 brainsickly thoughts out of 5</div>
Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-7185369516476804582015-07-14T00:01:00.000-07:002015-07-14T03:22:50.491-07:00Dream Fossil (2015)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOEwGT9TgnZILjwg9wOYO4mh33eZj5r-uygVG-2xMRoV03BbEG4FWadUiDX9vG3FOmzpUnh3sVmVlX_1g9FwuLFfiyZ5Jk4_Q74pDlJKr3EnaN2m8O2oywFRkSf83K85XfwZTebuVPwc/s1600/Dream_Fossil_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnOEwGT9TgnZILjwg9wOYO4mh33eZj5r-uygVG-2xMRoV03BbEG4FWadUiDX9vG3FOmzpUnh3sVmVlX_1g9FwuLFfiyZ5Jk4_Q74pDlJKr3EnaN2m8O2oywFRkSf83K85XfwZTebuVPwc/s400/Dream_Fossil_Nut_Ink_blogspot.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>
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<b>Author: </b>Satoshi Kon <b>| Illustrator: </b>Satoshi Kon<b> </b>| <b>Page Count</b>: 426</div>
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"<i>Ten years from now, you'll look good holding manilla envelopes</i>."</div>
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Fifteen short mangas by Satoshi Kon arranged mostly chronologically from the years 1984-89. Having them presented that way enables a reader to chart the evolution and clarity of vision that bordered the path to peculiarity he walked, a path that led the author into the role of revered anime director.<span style="color: red;">*</span><br />
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Of the fifteen, only about one third of them are what I'd call memorable. Furthermore, with the exception of an opening story that could make a really interesting short film, the better stories don't come until halfway into the book.<br />
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Fans of Kon's films will recognise seeds of ideas that he'd develop further and more successfully later in his career. My favourite story, Joyful Bell (1989), reminds me very much of his Tokyo Godfathers (2003) anime, ironically my least favourite of his films and the only one I'm not sad isn't available on blu-ray.<br />
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Also notable are the stories Kidnappers (1987), Guests (1987), and Beyond the Sun (1988). The latter is the one where I most felt the music of Susumu Hirasawa as an influence. Coincidently, the book includes a short interview with the musician. Far from being filler, it offers an insightful glimpse into the simpatico the two men shared as it refers to their frequent, creative collaborations.<br />
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It’s published by Vertical, who also handled Kon’s <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/tropic-of-sea-2013.html" target="_blank">Tropic of the Sea (2013)</a> manga. You’d think they’d have had the good sense to make it the same size so that the two can be comfortably shelved next to each other. But no; Dream Fossil is bigger. They did the same with their Makoto Shinkai books. That pisses me off.</div>
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The increase in size wasn't accompanied by an increase in paper quality. Looking at Fossil and Tropic side by side I'm half-convinced that it's even lower grade than before. I'm extremely grateful and supportive of Vertical taking a chance on this type of thing, sincerely, but please don't skimp on the presentation. Strive to be the best you can be and I'll happily give you my money time and again.<br />
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2½ weathered serials out of 5<br />
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<span style="color: red;">*</span>You can find short reviews of Satoshi Kon's films on our sister site, <a href="http://deadercuckoo2.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Satoshi%20Kon" target="_blank">In a Nutshell</a>.</div>
Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-11670182773022710042015-07-07T00:01:00.001-07:002015-07-07T03:13:33.531-07:00The Extra Ordinary Life of Frank Derrick, Age 81 (2014)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Author</b>: J.B. Morrison | <b>Page Count</b>: 304</div>
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'<i>He already had his free TV licence and bus pass. Even though there was nothing on television and nowhere to take the bus to.</i><i>'</i></div>
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J.B. Morrison is Jim Bob, who at one time was half of the phenomenally semi-successful music act Carter USM. I admit it was entirely due to my love for the band’s music that I checked out Frank Derrick. The clever word play in the title made me wonder prior to reading if we would see a return to the fiery satire of Jim Bob’s lyric writing style, or if it would more closely resemble the deeply poignant feelings of abandonment that 'Granny Farming in the UK' gave rise to. The text is neither; or rather it’s both but filtered through a more subtle and sensitive screen door. It's comedy with a thoughtful slant that's sweet but never artificial.<br />
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Frank of Fullwind-on-Sea is a cynical duffer with a healthy distrust of others. He's an active sort who frequents the charity shops and buys crap he doesn't need. He looks upon the curtain-twitchers in his neighbourhood with disdain, but often his vantage point is from behind his own twitching curtain. When an accident lessens Frank's independence some home-help is arranged. He resents the idea completely, fearing the worst: she'll treat him like a child; she'll steal his life savings! But Frank had been wrong about people before. Who's to say...?<br />
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Jim Bob's style is descriptive and wry. His sentences frequently take lengthy strides when a shorter, more direct approach could've conveyed the same information more succinctly. They're rambling, some might say, but I'm a rambler, too, so it wasn't a problem for me. I actually liked it; it showed that he was being honest with himself and his readers, not trying to mimic another's style. He wisely litters comedy throughout, instead of always holding back for a killer punchline.<br />
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The only thing I really disliked was the half a dozen movie spoilers. They were old movies and their inclusion was relevant to Frank's tragic situation, but that's no excuse. They were spoilers no matter how you spin it. Speaking of which, if the book was to be filmed it would most likely be an indie, suitable for the likes of HandMade Films, and in a perfect world it would star Michael Caine.<br />
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3½ mantelpiece giraffes out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-84984359958978482792015-07-01T00:01:00.000-07:002015-07-01T03:36:34.217-07:00WitchCraft (1996)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Author</b>: James Robinson | <b>Illustrators</b>: Peter Snejbjerg / Michael Zulli / Steve Yeowell | <b>Page Count</b>: 135</div>
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"<i>The fires of madness burn at a gentle heat, stoked by grandiose delusion</i>."</div>
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The Hecate, also known as Maid, Mother and Crone, are three aspects of the same ancient Greek deity. Likewise, the three parts of the book represent three different eras, each one more aged than the last, structurally mimicking a part of the content. The individual chapters tell their own story while also being a part of the same, larger story. Each has its own prologue wherein we’re privy to the Hecate’s thoughts and hopes for what eventually follows.<br />
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It begins with a brutal act of violence against a young priestess whom the Hecate show favour to. Her aspect and that of her tormentor are reincarnated over and over throughout the ages so that she can meet him again and again, until she’s able to sate the Hecate’s need for bloody revenge. The witches aren't going anywhere. Their longevity means they can play the waiting game for as long as it takes.<br />
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The different eras are suitably well-realised, with the language taking cues from the years in which the drama is set. Even though time advances as normal for the main story there are instances where the reader is pulled back to an earlier time within the smaller framework, showing us the reincarnated priestess’ upbringing and education. One such example is Faith Armitage aged seventeen, a product of her teachings, is contrasted with Faith Armitage, orphan aged seven, a malleable child with a mind waiting to be filled. There's not enough time to go deep into the nature vs nurture debate, but it's there to some degree.<br />
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Author James Robinson (sometimes credited as James Dale Robinson) shows us the lecherous nature of mankind that, if left unchecked, could become an all too familiar occurrence. In this case it's a fictional deity that steps up to the line, but even then it's only because they felt they were wronged or robbed of something valuable. Not putting a stop to something is not the same as sanctioning it, but sometimes just looking the other way can itself be perceived as an unjust act.<br />
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The book collects together the entire first miniseries, WitchCraft issues 1-3.<br />
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3½ rotations of the wheel of fate out of 5</div>
Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2785389993188854386.post-51863188448301691232015-06-18T05:49:00.001-07:002021-11-06T20:44:55.677-07:00God Emperor of Dune (1981)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Author</b>: Frank Herbert | <b>Page Count</b>: 454</div>
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'To those who dare ask why I behave as I do, I say: With my memories, I can do nothing else. I am not a coward and once I was human.'</i></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">-The Stolen Journals of Leto II</span></div>
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Book IV</b> ventures further down unpredictable avenues, more so even than the reversal of reader expectations that was <a href="http://deadercuckoo4.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/dune-messiah-1969.html" target="_blank">Book II</a>. Whereas the previous volumes each had identifiable influences, actions reminiscent of classic tales (Muad'dib as Aeneas, etc), <b>God Emperor</b> isn't so easily relatable. It stands apart, exploring the mind of a man become a god—changed in more than just the figurative sense.<br />
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Leto II's current condition grants him an insight into the human condition that had never existed before. It also paradoxically distances him from fully empathising with the people he's closest to. Empathy is a process dependent on memory. Being Atreides means Leto has access to an almost infinite store of memories from countless lives but they're each shaped by the era in which they were formed. His only experience of a society held in the grip of a God Emperor for millennia is from the side of the ruler, not the ruled. His outlook is invaluable but one-sided.<br />
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Arrakis is changed, too. No longer just a place to train the faithful, it's the predicted centre of the universe. The Bene Gesserit, Guild, and Ixians are diminished but still around, slaves to the planet's resources, biding their time.<br />
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It's impossible to know for sure but I suspect the voice of the author is split between at least two of the main characters. With his knowledge of atavistic characteristics and myth structures Leto is, of course, one of them. Using the poetic or prosaic as the situation demands; teaching on an active level, not through repetition; forcing the listener (and reader) to apply what they know as fact and extrapolate into the equation what they think they know in order to fully understand the lesson is an idealised version of an author/teacher.<br />
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As usual, the introduction to each chapter is a commentary on more than just the individual parts, extending instead to the whole. You should also have recognised by now how <b>Frank</b> orchestrates situations for the sequels to follow up on. <b>God Emperor</b> delivers on that. It has a proper ending so you can stop the series afterwards if you want to, but there's still more to the story of Arrakis.<br />
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5 reassuring dimensions out of 5Dr Faustushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13608513546014130157noreply@blogger.com0